Sheet-glass-surfacing apparatus



Feb. 25, 1930.

Filed Jan 7, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .BIP D 3 Q f@ z ma 7 a 2 E Z r w l.. M e HHHHHHHHHHWHUHWWMHHHNH 1\ Il. M

f M M Feb. 25, 1930. Y J, P, CRQWLEY 1,748,112

SHEET GLASS SURFACING APPARATUS Filed Jan. '7, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 l dow/oh @Crow/@y Patentedl Feb. 25, 1930 UNITED s'rA'rss v Parri-:NT )Fluclaz JOSEPH P. QBOWLIY, 0I' TOLIDQOHIO, ABBIGNQB LBBW-OWENS 00mm,

, A OITOLIDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO Sm'LGLASS-SURFAGHG APPARATUS Application ma January v, 1m. serial irq. 79,705.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this nature wherein each of the polishing blocks are reciprocated upon the sheet being surfaced while at the same time each block is rotated upon its own axis.

Another very important object of the in' vention is toiprovide a sheet glass surfacing apparatus wherein the sheet is rotatably carried by a table, the machine includin a plurality of surfacing members arrange in substantially circular formation, the center of v the formation being offset from the center of the sheet, whereby each of the blocks is relci'frocated upon lthe surface of the sheet,

ile at the same time each block is rotated upon its own axis, permitting the sheet to be surfaced in a minimum amount of time.

'A further object of the invention is to provide surfacing apparatus adapted for the production of plate glass, wherein a sheet of glass may be freely supported upon a rotatable table, the surfacing means including a substantially circular frame carrying a plurallty of rotatable surfacing members, the center of the frame, being offset fromfthe center of the sheet to produce the necessary relative movement between the sheet and the surfacing members to attain the desired surfacg- A further object of the invention 1s to provide an apparatus of this nature wherein the surfacing unit comprises a substantially eiryto cular spider, carrying a plurality of rows of polishin blocks in a manner that each of the olis ing blocks is rotated about the airis of t e spiderwhile at the same time each block is rotatableA about its own axis.

' Av still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted for the production of plate glass, and includes a positively driven table which su ports the sheet and a surfacing unit arrange thereabove, the surfacing unit` including a circular lspider carrxsng a plurality of rotatable l. a bloc Po g the center ofthe spider being offset from the center of the sheet, and each of the polishing blocks being rotated by reason of the frictional contact with the sheet being surfaced, the s ider and blocks being movable to and from t e said sheet. l

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

' Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the surfacing aparatus,

1g. 2 is an elevation thereof, partially in section, for the pur ose of illustration,

Fig. 3 is a sectiona view of a portion of the apparatus,

Fi 4 is a plan view of one form of abrasiv 'stributmg means which may be used, an

Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive,` are dia rammatic views of the movement of one of tghe polishing units in one revolution of the apparatus. i In the production of plate glass, a flat blank 1s ground and'polished on both sides to produce a sheet which is practically free from any surface irregularities, the. two surfaces being parallel to each other. Ordinarily, both sides of the sheet are first ground and then polished. Although the forms of abrasives vary in different methods, quite frequently a form of sand is used in the grinding end, while rouge is used in the-polishing. In the present application the word abrasiveis used to mean both the sand and the rouge.

In the drawings the invention has been illustrated as used in connection witha machine wherein the sheet remains upon a single table during one portion of thesurfacing operation, namely, the polishing of the sheet. In some processes the sheetto be surfaced is moved under a lurality of grinding and polishing units, t is type of apparatus being known as the continuous process. It is to be understood that the present invention is not llimited to any one type of process.

i a table upon which the sheet 11 to be surfacedv and operable by means of a pitman`21, driven is supported. In the particular apparatus disclosed, the sheet is freely supported in a recess 12. This differs from the ordinary type of apparatus used in that the usual practice is to cement the sheet upon-a table by means of plaster of Paris. The table 10 is positively driven by some suitable source vof power. v

Arranged above the table 10 and the sheet 11, in the recess 12, is a substantially circular` spider 13, carried by a hollow rotatable shaft 14, rotatable in a sleeve bearing 15. A housing 16 is provided, and the construction as a whole is supported upon the frame work 17 .f

`The sleeve 15 is provided with a rack bar por-k tion 18l which is adapted for engagement with asegmental geary 19 supported upon shaft 20 through means `of the gear arrangement 22, connected'to the source of power 23. The pitman 21 is also provided with an arm24 pivotally mounted on a stub shaft 25, and carrying a pulley 26 at the opposite end. A cable 27, having theend 28 secured to the frame 17, is tralned about the pulley 29 and is connected to a guard 30 which surrounds the table 10. The guard 30, during the operation of the machine, isl in a position similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2l to prevent the abrasive used from being thrown olf onto the Hoor. When it is desired to examine the sheet or remove the same,- the pitman is operated so Y that thespider 13 is raised and-.the guard 30 Each of the members 31, which are shown inl the drawir. g as polishing blocks, is carried by a spindle-32, operable through a journal 33 in the spider 13. The end of the spindle 34 is of a nature to prevent accidental displacement of the block when the s ider is moved vertically from the sheet. s can be seen upon rotation of the spider, each of the polishing blocks is rotated about the shaft or the center 14. The shaft 14, which is the center of the spider, is oilt'set from the center of the table 10, and likewise the center of the sheet 11. 'Upon rotation of the table 10, and due to the frictional contact between the sheet and the blocks 31, the spider will be caused to rotate, and in rotating each block will be reciprocated upon the sheet, while at the Same time it will rotate about its own axis, as well as the axis ofthe spider as yan entirety. In Figs. 5to 9, inclusive, is illustrated diagrammatically the movement of one of the outer blocks in one revolution of the s ider.A Fig. 9 shows how much surface one lock covers in one rotation, and considering `the number of blocks carried by the spider it will be seen that the relative movement between the blocks and the sheet is so vgreat that very little of the sheet remains-exposed atany one time, and that the time required for surfacing the sheet will be very low.

sheet and the, bloc s, a plug 35 is placed in the vided with a plurality of openings 36 to which are connected conduitsv 37. Fig. 4 clearly shows one arrangement of'conduits which may be used. 4The conduits are arranged under the spider and are ada tedto vend of the hollow shaft 14. The plug is prointroduce a suliicient quantity of a rasive upon-the sheet to permit proper surfacing thereof. The abrasive is initially drawn fromv a suitable source of` supply and is permitted to dischar e into axhopper or funnel 38, supported at t e upper end of the hollow shaft 14. y Y

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferredfembodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be Y resorted to without departing from the s irit of the invention or the scope ofthe subjomed claims.

Claims 1. A runner construction for use in machines for polishing flat glass, including a rotatable runnerframe, an outer annular series of'polishing blocks carried by said frame and being of a uniform size, a second annular series of polishing blocks carried by the frame inwardly of the rst series and bein of a lurality of sizes alternately arrange a4 t rd annular series of polishing blocks carriedby the frame inwardly of the second series and being also 'of different sizes alternatelyarran ed, and a fourth annular series of polishmg locks carried by said frame inwardly of the third series and being of a uniform size.

2. A runner construction for use in machines for polishing flat glass, including a rotatable runner frame, anv outer annular series of polishing blocks carried by said 'frame and being of a uniform size, a second annular series of polishing inwardly of the first series and belng of a plurality of sizes alternately arranged, a third annular series of olishing blocks carried by the frame inwardly of the second series and being also of different sizes alternately arranged, and a fourth annular series of polishing locks carried by said frame inwardly of the third series and bein of a uniform size, the larger and smaller po shin blocks of the 4second and third series being o substantially the same sizes respectively and all smaller blocks carried by the frame 745v In order to su ply-abrasive between the l than the blocks of the first series and the blocks of the fourth series being of substantia'lly the same size as the smallest blocks of the second and third series.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, this 5th day of January,

JOSEPH P. CROWLEY. 

